Container for cigars or the like



Jan. 25, 1938. E G, sRANbwE 2,1o6,475

CONTAINER FOR CIGARS OR THE LIKE Filed April 2o,' 1936 flfi oriziayts.

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Edward G. Brandwein,

Crystal Tube Mfg. 00. tion of Illinois Application April 20,

2 Claims.

The invention relates to containers for cigars or similar articles and more particularly to such containers made of flexible transparent cellulose material such as Cellophane.

Material of this type has many characteristics which especially adapt it for use as a wrapping for cigars or similar articles. Thus it is transparent so that the contained article may be readily viewed by the purchaser, it may be readily sealed to maintain the moisture content of the article, and it is economical to manufacture. On the other hand, such cellulose material is very tough and difficulty has heretofore been experienced in removing it, especially from cigars, since the wrapper ordinarily fits snugly about the same so that it is difficult to pinch or tear the wrapper without injuring the cigar. In addition, cigars are comparatively brittle and subject to damage in case they are roughly handled by an exasperated user in attempting to remove the cellulose wrapper or container.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a container for cigars or the like made of a transparent flexible cellulose material and so constructed that it may be readily removed from the cigar or the like without danger of injury to the latter.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a container of the type described 30 having a tearing thread held .in position therein .by the adhesive which holds the longitudinal edges of the container together, with one end of the thread projecting freely from the container in a position to be readily grasped for pulling the same longitudinally with respect to the container to tear open the side thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigar enclosed'by a container embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cigar and container shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of the container being shown in its open position prior to sealing the same.

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of utilizing the tearing thread to open the side of' the container.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the con- Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago, 111., a corpora- 1936, Serial No. 75,264

tainer shown in Fig. 1 prior to the insertion of a cigar therein.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of the container shown in Fig. 4.

In the exemplary form shown in the drawing 5 the invention is embodied in a wrapper or container l3 enclosing a cigar II. The wrapper I0 is made from a substantially rectangular sheet of tough flexible transparent cellulose material such as Cellophane. As best shown in Fig. 5, the 10 longitudinal edges of the sheet are arranged in overlapping relation and secured together by a thin layer of transparent adhesive l2. An elongated tube or cylinder is thus formed. This tube is preferably flattened by forming longitudinally 1 extending re-entrant folds l3 and M in the side walls thereof in order to give the container a convenient shape for shipping or handling prior to the insertion of a cigar therein.

The lower end of the tubular container thus 20 formed is closed by doubling one end portion of the tube back upon itself and securing it in this position by a layer of transparent adhesive as indicated at i 5 in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. The opposite end of the tubular container I0 is left 25 open in order that a cigar may be readily inserted therein.

In accordance with the invention, an arrangement has been provided for tearing a side wall of the wrapper l0 so that the cigar ll may be readily removed. This arrangement preferably includes a, tearing thread l6 positioned within the container I II and extending longitudinally thereof. As best shown in Fig. 5, the tearing thread I6 is preferably positioned between the overlapping portions of the sheet of cellulose material which forms the container and extends along the inner edge of the layer l2 of adhesive. The adhesive thus serves to hold the thread IS in position. The lower end of the tearing thread It 40 extends within the doubled end portion ii of the container I 0 and is held against longitudinal movement thereby.

The opposite or upper end of the tearing thread l6 extends freely from the container in a position to be readily grasped for pulling the same longitudinally with respect to the container to tear open the side thereof. Thus, a thumb notch I1 is preferably formed at the upper end of the container II) in alinement with the overlapping longitudinal edges thereof and the upper end ll! of the tearing thread l6 extends freely through this notch. When the upper end of the container I0 is folded back on itself and sealed in such position as indicated in Fig. 1, the end ll of the 2 I tearing thread I6 is still freely exposed so that it may be readily grasped by the user.

In opening the container III, the cigar may be held in one hand as indicated in Fig. 3 while the tearing thread I6 is pulled longitudinally from the container, thus tearing a longitudinal slit in the side wall of the container so that the cigar may be removed therefrom. It will be seen that in the particular construction illustrated, only the upper one of the overlapping longitudinal edge portions of the container need be torn in order to completely separate the same since the adhesive I2 is located entirely at one side of the tearing thread 16.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown in the form of a wrapper for a cigar, it will be understood that no intention should be inferred to limit the invention to the particular construction shown and described but, on the other hand, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claimas my invention:

1. An elongated container for a cigar or the like comprising a tube formed from a tough flexible transparent sheet of cellulose material with the longitudinal edges thereof arranged in overlapping relation and secured together by a thin layer of transparent adhesive, and a tearing thread positioned within said tube between said overlapped longitudinal edges in contact with a longitudinal edge portion only of said layer of adhesive substantially throughout its length, one end portion of said tube being doubled upon itself and secured in position by a layer of transparent adhesive to close the end of the container, the corresponding end of said tearing thread being held securely within said doubled end portion, the opposite end of said tube having a notch formed therein with the adjacent end of said thread extending freely therethrough in a position to be readily grasped for pulling the same longitudinally with respect to said tube to tear open the side thereof.

2. A container comprising a tube formed from a tough flexible transparent sheet of cellulose material with the longitudinal edges thereof arranged in overlapping relation and secured together by a thin layer of transparent adhesive, and a tearing thread positioned within said tube along the underlying one of said overlapped longitudinal edges in contact with the edge portion only of said layer of adhesive substantially throughout its length, one end of said thread projecting freely from said tube in a position to be readily grasped for pulling the same longitudinally with respect to said tube to tear open the side thereof.

EDWARD G. BRANDWEIN. 

